So Far Away
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: If I had to choose between breathing and loving you, I would use my last breath to tell you I love you.
1. Chapter 1

This is one of my many takes on what might have happened after that last credit rolled. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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"I love you, Marshall."

Marshall looked at her, eyes filled with tears. She looked so beautiful in her bride's maid dress, with her hair styled carefully into a bun. She was saying everything he had wanted to hear, only a year too late. "I'm sorry, Mary," he managed, rubbing her shoulder lightly. "I love Abigail."

The way her face crumbled broke his heart, but he didn't have a choice. The woman he was going to marry was waiting for him in the other room, along with both of their families and all their friends. He could hear the music begin. He was going to be late.

So why couldn't he make his feet move?

Mary pulled back from him, her devastation written all over her face. "I can't do this."

"Mare, please don't go."

She didn't listen. Turning on her heel, she ran out of the room, leaving Marshall alone and in tears.

When he came back from his honeymoon, he couldn't bear to be around Mary with the knowledge that she loved him and she could never be his. So he transferred from the job he loved to one in D.C., a move Abigail had loved. They lived in the suburbs with Oscar and had a baby, living out the traditional happily ever after he had always wanted.

Except it wasn't happily ever after, and he had lost the best friend he'd ever had just to realize he had made the biggest mistake of his life.

* * *

"Norah Elizabeth Shannon, get down here right now!"

Standing in her kitchen, Mary Shannon sighed as she listened for her daughter's footsteps on the stairs. She was making French toast, Norah's favorite, for her first day of eleventh grade. She sighed and shook her head. How was it even possible that her baby girl was sixteen years old already?

Her hands paused momentarily. Was it possible it had been fifteen years since the last time she saw Marshall? Since the last time she had spoken to him?

Shortly after he left, Stan retired and Mary took charge of the marshals. She didn't care for being in charge, especially all the paperwork it came with, but it was better than the idea of being partnered with someone else, someone who wasn't Marshall. It killed her, in fact. So she took the promotion and just took it day by day. The pain nearly killed her at first, but she woke up one morning and it didn't hurt so badly. Eventually she got to the point where she could look at his picture and not break down in tears. The years passed, and she could remember his smile, his voice, without falling apart.

She never settled down after Marshall left. Eventually things with Kenny fizzled out, and she contented herself with one night stands when she needed any kind of physical release. Her entire life came to revolve around Norah and her job, and she liked it that way.

Finally she heard Norah come down the stairs, and she turned around just as her teenage daughter came into the kitchen. "Good morning, Bug."

Norah grumbled and plopped down at the kitchen table.

Mary chuckled. Norah reminded her so much of herself at that age, it was terrifying. But she had to admit, Norah was a good kid. She didn't miss curfew, didn't cheat or lie, and when she did date Mary usually approved of the boy. It was a huge relief, to know her daughter actually cared about her future. She was a good kid.

Fixing a plate of French toast and cut up strawberries, Mary laid them in front of Norah's head along with a glass of orange juice. "Eat up, kiddo. You have a big day."

Another grumble emerged from under the tangle of blond hair.

Chuckling, Mary ruffled her daughter's hair. "Love you, Bug."

"Mmph."

* * *

When Norah arrived at her first period class, she was the second student to take a seat. In one of the seats closest to the front, a boy with messy brunette hair and blue eyes was scribbling something in a notebook in front of him. Norah sat down beside him and eyed him curiously. It wasn't a small school, but she knew almost everyone in her class. This kid had to be new, and it didn't hurt that he was really cute.

Straightening her shoulders, Norah cleared her throat. "Hi." The boy turned his head and regarded her curiously. "I'm Norah Shannon. Are you new?"

He shrugged slightly. "Yeah."

"New to the school or…?"

"New to this side of the continent." He brushed his hair away from his forehead. "My name's Aiden."

They exchanged smiles, and for the rest of the day, Norah couldn't stop humming to herself.

* * *

When Norah got home, Mary knew something was up. Normally Norah went straight upstairs to do her homework or play on her computer, but instead Norah came into the living room and dropped down beside her.

"Mom?"

Mary looked away from the casefile she was reading. "What's up, Bug?"

Norah snuggled into her side and kicked off her shoes, to Mary's surprise. "There's a new guy in my class. His name's Aiden."

"Oh?"

"He's really funny and nice…and I think I like him."

Wrapping her arm around Norah's slender shoulders, Mary pulled her daughter closer and kissed the side of her head. "So you met a boy…"

"Yeah."

"Why don't we go get some ice cream and talk about it, kiddo?"

Norah lit up. "Sounds good, Mom."

"Then let's get out of here."

* * *

After school, Aiden went home, his thoughts focused on the pretty girl he had met in homeroom. Norah. He had never had a girlfriend before, mostly because he was too caught up in what was going on at home to really pay girls any attention. But Norah was different. Norah stirred up emotions in him, emotions he didn't know how to express.

Walking into his home, he set his backpack down and went up to his dad's room. His mom had left a couple of years before, when his dad first got sick. He hated her for it. Now it was just him and his dad, and when the cancer came back, all of the responsibility of taking care of his dad and the house fell on his shoulders. He loved his dad and would do anything for him, but sometimes he wondered what it would be like if his mom had stuck around, or if his dad had never gotten sick.

Pushing the door open, he poked his head into his dad's room. "Dad?"

His dad lie in the middle of the bed, bundled under a thick comforter. He could hear him cough weakly. Grabbing a bottle of water from his backpack, he sat down on the edge of the bed and got his dad to take a few sips. Some days were better than others, but right now, he could barely recognize the man in front of him.

After getting a little water into his dad, Aiden helped him downstairs and to the hide-a-bed in the living room, so he could keep an eye on him while he fixed dinner. Then he would help his dad get cleaned up before taking him back to bed, followed by cleaning the house and homework before he showered and collapsed into bed. It wasn't fair, but he had accepted his role a long time ago and learned to enjoy the time he had left with his dad. There was no way he could let him down.

He just couldn't.

To Be Continued...


	2. On My Knees

Here's chapter two! Be sure to let me know what you guys think. and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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The first two months of school passed with relative ease. Norah and Aiden grew closer every day. He was shy and more intelligent than anyone Norah had ever known at school. She wanted him to be her boyfriend, but she didn't know how to ask him. She asked her girlfriends, who told her to wait for him to make the next move. Norah Shannon was not exactly known for her patience, however, and just before Halloween, Norah met Aiden in the furthest corner of the library.

"I have something to ask you," she told him when she was certain they were completely alone.

He regarded her curiously. "What, Norah?"

Before she could lose her nerve, Norah moved her head forward and brushed her lips against his. Aiden froze, but Norah snaked an arm around his middle, holding him in place.

"What are you doing, Nor?" he whispered against her lips.

"Kissing you," she mumbled.

"Oh."

To her surprise, he suddenly pushed her against the bookcase and took control of the kiss.

The sound of footsteps startled them apart moments later. Norah quickly slid from under Aiden and tugged at her shirt.

Aiden swiped his hands over his hair. "What did you want to ask me?"

"I want you to be my boyfriend."

He looked momentarily stunned. "Really?"

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Because…you're so pretty… You could date any guy-"

"But I don't want to date any guy. I want to date you."

He looked around briefly before settling his eyes on her again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Really sure?"

Her lips came crashing against his again, and she hoped he would take that for a yes.

* * *

"Dad, I can't believe it. I actually have a girlfriend!"

After school, Aiden had rushed home and was currently sitting beside his dad on his bed. His dad was sitting up at a slight incline, his eyes half-open.

"She's so pretty and smart, and I can't wait for you to meet her."

His dad gave him a weak smile. "I'm proud of you, son," he whispered hoarsely. "What's her name?"

"Norah."

Something sparked in his dad's eyes. "That's…a pretty name."

"Yeah it is." Reaching out, Aiden squeezed his dad's hand. "I love you, Dad."

"Love you, too."

A violent coughing fit suddenly took hold, and Aiden tried to remain calm as he leaned his dad forward and slapped his palm against his back. "It's okay, Dad. Just breathe," he soothed, fighting his tears back.

He felt like the worst son in the world when a small part of him wished his dad would let go, just so he wouldn't suffer anymore.

* * *

"Mom!"

Norah rushed through the front door, barely remembering to sling her backpack off and close the door behind her.

"Upstairs, Bug!"

Following her mom's voice, Norah ran up the stairs and into her mom's room. Her mom was sitting on the bed, sorting through pictures. "What are you doing, Mom?"

"Just cleaning out my closet." Her mom looked up at her. "What's going on?"

Norah was afraid her face might break at the smile she wore. "I kissed Aiden!"

"You did?"

"Yeah." She moved some pictures aside and sat down with her mom. "Then I asked him to be my boyfriend.

"What did he say?

"He said yes!"

"Of course he did. He would be insane not to."

One of the pictures caught Norah's eye, and she picked it up. It was her mom wrapped in the arms of a very handsome man. "Who is this?"

Her mom took the picture and looked at it with a touch of sadness. "That's Marshall."

Norah looked at her mom again. "Your old partner, Marshall?"

"The one and only." She touched the picture with reverence and affection.

"You really loved him, didn't you?" Norah knew some of the story; they had been partners for years before Marshall married Abigail and moved to D.C. Since then, her mom had not heard from him at all. She often wondered if Marshall was the reason her mom had never gotten married, or even had a boyfriend who stuck around for more than a month or two.

"Yes, I did, Bug. I loved him a lot."

Norah took the picture back and held it close to her face. Marshall had a kind face and was looking at her mother with such love and affection, she could almost feel it.

"So…when can I meet Aiden?"

* * *

Aiden was giddy as he walked home from school, and when he came through the front door and headed upstairs, he was pleasantly surprised to see his dad sitting upright in his bed. He dropped his backpack to the floor. "Hey, Dad. How are you feeling?"

"Okay." His dad's voice was raspy.

This was the first time he had been able to sit up on his own in weeks. Aiden sat down on the bed, still smiling.

"What're you smiling about, son?"

Aiden blew out a breath. "Just thinking about Norah." He couldn't believe how lucky he was, to have Norah for a girlfriend.

His dad smiled warmly. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. She's something else. I'm crazy about her, Dad."

"Then I'm happy for you." He yawned and closed his eyes again.

Aiden stayed with his dad until he was sleeping again. Then he drew the blanket up to his dad's chest and kissed his forehead before he left the bedroom. Once he was in the hallway, he leaned heavily against the wall and closed his eyes as he slid down to the floor.

He had already lost his mom. He couldn't lose his dad, too.

To Be Continued...


	3. Just One Left

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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Chapter Three: Just One Left

The next morning, Norah and Aiden met just outside of the school. After sharing a short hug, Norah grinned at Aiden.

"What?" he asked suspiciously.

"My mom wants to meet you."

Aiden hesitated. "Why?"

Rolling her eyes, Norah huffed. "Because you're my boyfriend and she's my mom. Duh!"

He sensed he wasn't going to be able to avoid this. "When?"

"This afternoon."

"Norah…"

"She's going to meet us across the street for pizza and ice cream, if your dad doesn't mind."

Aiden thought of his dad sleeping in his room. "I don't know…"

"Oh, come on! It won't take long. I promise."

Aiden was reluctant, but at the end of the school day he found himself walking with Norah to a nearby pizza place they both liked. He had called his dad during lunch to get permission and his dad had actually sounded happy. Aiden was actually a nervous wreck as Norah searched the booths until she found her mom. Then she dragged Aiden over to the booth where the older blond woman sat.

"Mom, this is Aiden. Aiden, this is my mom, Mary Shannon."

The name sounded somewhat familiar to Aiden as he extended a hand to Norah's mom. "It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Shannon."

* * *

"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Shannon."

The voice, the choice of words, those eyes… Mary managed to shake Aiden's hand firmly. "Same here, Aiden…?"

"Mann, ma'am."

Mary clutched the table as the room tilted. Aiden Mann. It couldn't be. He couldn't be Marshall's son. And yet, she felt like she was looking at a younger version of her former partner and best friend.

"Mom? Mom, are you okay?"

Norah's worried voice brought Mary back to reality. She stared at Aiden and tried to breathe. "Aiden Mann?"

"Yes, ma'am." Aiden shifted uncomfortably and Mary saw Marshall in him.

It wasn't possible.

"Is your dad's name Marshall?"

"Mom, what's wrong with you?"

Mary held up a hand to silence her daughter. "Aiden, is your dad's name Marshall?"

Aiden scratched his head. "Y-Yes."

"Your mother…her name is Abigail?"

The boy's face darkened noticeably. "How did you know that?"

Dropping down into the both, Mary cradled her head in her hands. "Because your dad used to be my partner."

Aiden sat down across from her and struck a similar pose. "You're Mary?"

"He talked about me?"

"Sometimes."

Norah silently sat down beside Aiden.

"What did he say?" Mary whispered.

"You used to be his partner and… you were his best friend."

Mary felt tears welling up in her eyes but she stubbornly held them back for the sake of the teenagers in front of her. "How long have you been here?"

"We just moved here from DC a few months ago, after my mom left."

"Abigail left?"

A bitter expression appeared on the boy's face. "Yeah, after my dad got sick."

Mary jerked her head up. "He's sick? What's wrong with him?" The worst scenarios began to run through her mind. Though she hadn't seen him in fifteen years, feelings she had thought dead and gone came rushing back to the surface.

Aiden shifted uncomfortably and Mary saw pain in the boy's cerulean eyes. She braced herself for the worst.

"He has cancer. He's been fighting it but Mom couldn't handle it so she left. Now… He's getting worse."

"What have his doctors said?" Mary demanded desperately.

"He's stopped going to chemotherapy. I take care of him at home."

The thought of Marshall dying made something inside of Mary snap. Without realizing it, she stood up and wiped at her eyes.

"Where is he, Aiden?"

* * *

As Mary drove to his home like a madman, Aiden's head was swirling and he kept looking over at Norah every few seconds. How was this even possible? He knew his parents had lived in Albuquerque years before he was born, but he never put two and two together when he met Norah. Norah looked just as confused and stunned as he did.

When they finally arrived at his home, Aiden jumped out of the van and waited for Mary and Norah to catch up with him before he unlocked the door and led them inside.

* * *

The moment Mary was inside, she knew it was all real. Everywhere she looked, she saw Marshall's touch. There were pictures everywhere of him and Aiden and the room even smelled like him. She followed Aiden up the stairs, her heart pounding harder and harder against her ribcage with every step she took. This was all so surreal.

Aiden stopped in front of a door and looked at Mary. "He's been sick for a while," he cautioned.

Mary nodded and sucked in a breath as she followed Aiden into the dark bedroom.

"Dad?" Aiden walked over to the bed and Mary's knees almost buckled when she saw Marshall's pale features.

_Oh, God_…

Aiden stopped by his dad's side and reached out. "Dad, wake up."

There was no response.

The boy gently shook his dad's shoulder and called out again, louder this time. "Dad, come on. Open your eyes."

Something unnerving settled over Mary as Aiden continued to shake Marshall's shoulder. She moved over to the bed.

Aiden suddenly turned toward her, his eyes alight with fear. "Something's wrong, Mary."

Part of her wanted to shut down; fifteen years had gone by and just when she'd found him again, he was slipping away? It couldn't happen this way. She couldn't lose him, not yet. Reaching out, she laid her fingers against his throat. He was warm but his chest didn't rise and fall. "Aiden, go call 911."

When the boy didn't move right away, she barked out, "Aiden, now!"

Finally Aiden spun around and ran out of the room. Mary moved Marshall until he was lying flat on his back. Then she leaned over him, closed his nose with two fingers and breathed into his mouth before she began chest compressions.

"Come on, Marshall," she whispered, willing life into him. "Don't leave me." Her hands shook as she breathed into him again and repeated the process all over again.

"Please, don't leave me."

To Be Continued...


End file.
